Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacrocky’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Pacrocky’, characterized by its uniformly mounded and cascading to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; and bright red purple-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACROCKY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacrocky’.

The new Ivy Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous Ivy Geranium plants with uniform plant habit and numerous semi-double flowers.

The new Ivy Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2005 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. The new Ivy Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany in June, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ivy Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since December, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacrocky’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacrocky’ as a new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Uniformly mounded and cascading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Bright red purple-colored semi-double flowers held above the         foliar plane.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration. In addition, plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium peltatum ‘Pacric’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,420. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of ‘Pacric’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Ivy Geranium had a more distinct         zonation pattern than leaves of plants of ‘Pacric’.     -   2. Leaves of the new Ivy Geranium were not as deeply lobed as         leaves of plants of ‘Pacric’.     -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had larger flower umbels with         more flowers per umbel than plants of ‘Pacric’.     -   4. Sepals of plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more pubescent         than sepals of plants of ‘Pacric’.     -   5. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium and ‘Pacric’ differed in         flower pedicel color as plants of ‘Pacric’ had brown-colored         flower pedicels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Ivy Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a close-up side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacrocky’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter and spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Ivy Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were pinched two times and were seven months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum ‘Pacrocky’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium peltatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About four weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Uniformly mounded and cascading to             trailing plant habit; broad inverted triangle; densely             foliated; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching             habit with about seven lateral branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 4 cm.             Internode length: About 3 cm. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite and alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping.         -   Margin.—Entire, lobed.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent;             leathery.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Distinct.             Location: About 3 cm from margin. Width: About 1 cm. Color:             Close to 200A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers             arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong flexible peduncles; flowers face upright to             outwardly; freely flowering habit; about ten flowers per             umbel with about 40 umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about four months after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in May and continues until frost.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 9.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 15 arranged in             about three whorls; petals/petaloids imbricate. Length:             About 2.7 cm to 3 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm to 1.8 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire;             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 66A; towards the base, close to             155D; venation, close to 60A; color does not fade with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 55A; towards the base, close to 155D; venation,             close to 55A; color does not fade with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Angle: Upright to             outwardly slanted. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close             to 137C.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About 13. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Tubular.             Anther color: Close to 78A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 69D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Six to             seven-parted. Stigma color: Close to 74A. Style length:             About 5 mm. Style color: Close to 62D. Ovary color: Close to             138A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not             been observed on plants of the new Ivy Geranium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Pacrocky’ as illustrated and described. 